Phonograph on-off control



Sept. 11, 1951 G. F. BRAUN 2,567,318

PHONOGRAPH ON- OFF CONTROL Filed Oct. 8, 1947 Zsnnentor r r -50 56 Guscav RBraun QW- 24 fm wm C(ttorneg Patented Sept. 11, 1951 PHONOGRAPH ON-QFF CONTROL Gustav F. Braun, Elizabeth, N. J assignor to Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of New J ersey' Appl cation October 8, 1947, Serial No. 778,537

1 Claim. (Cl. 2741) This invention relates especially to phonographic machines adapted for the reproduction of recorded dictation.

More especially, the invention relates to dictating machines which have a first receiver permanently mounted on a removable section of the cabinet, a handpiece including a start-stop control and/or a second receiver, circuit means for connecting said receivers selectively to the outlet of the machine and setting the acoustic output from the receivers at predetermined relative levels, a support on the removable cabinet section for the handpiece which is coupled to an onon? control for the machine to place the machine in inoperative condition when the handpiece is on the support, and separable connections to the first receiver and support to permit ready removal of the cabinet section.

The invention resides in novel and improved combinations and subcombinations of the aforestated apparatus and will be apparent from the following description and the appended claim,

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dictating machine adapted for the selective recordation and reproduction of dictation and incorporating my invention;

Figure 2 is a fractional sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fractional sectional view showing parts of the apparatus of Figure 2 as seen from the back side of that figure;

Figure 4 is a fractional section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of circuits and mechanism according to my invention.

The dictatin machine illustrative of my invention and shown in the accompanying drawings comprises a frame I having a top plate H provided with depending side legs l2 (Figure 2). At the front the frame has a transverse member 13 the upper section 13a of which is vertical and the lower section I 3b of which inclines downwardly and forwardly. This frame member l3 has a window H in its vertical section I 3a. Below this window on the lower section l3b there is mounted a guide l adapted to receive an index slip (not shown) such as is well known in the art.

The cabinet comprises a base section IS on which rests the frame above described, and a removable upper section II which is normally held permanently in place by screws is which extend through the side walls of the upper section into the side legs of the frame (Figure 1).

of errors and corrections, etc.

In its mounted position, the upper cabinet section may rest on the base section I6, as at), and the joint between the sections may be covered by a head 20 (Figure 2). The top cabinet section I! has a front wall the upper portion 2Ia of which is vertical and the lower portion 2th of which is inclined downwardly and forwardly. These cabinet wall portions are substantially in the planes of the frame sections Ba and B1) respectively, and have a window 22 leaving exposed the transverse frame member I3. In the upper righthand portion of the top cabinet section I'I there is a recess 23 to provide access for the mounting and removal of a disk record on and from the machine as in the manner explained in the Somers application Serial No. 773,129, filed September 10, 1947, now Patent No. 2,538,392, issued January 16, 1951, and having a commo assignee with the present application.

The operating mechanism of the machine need not be described for the purposes of the present invention, but if desired reference may be had to the abovementioned Somers application for a description of the main components thereof. Suffice it to say for the present application that this mechanism comprises a phonographic recorder and reproducer adapted for selective engagement with the record, a carriage for the recorder and reproducer, audio circuits including an amplifier 24, diagrammatically shown in Figure 5, and a drive mechanism including a motor 25, diagrammatically shown in Figure 5, for turning the record and concomitantly feeding the carriage thereacross. The recorder and reproducer may be placed selectively into and out of contact with the record by manipulating a control lever 26 downwardly and upwardly from its neutral position shown in Figure 1, and the carriage may be manually moved across the record by this same control lever as whenever the latter is in its neutral position. This control lever projects through a slot 21 in a closure 28 for the window M. This slot extends lengthwiseof the closure so that the closure does not obstruct the lateral movement of the control lever attendant with the traveling movement of the carriage; however, the closure partakes of the upward and downward turning movement of the control lever into reproducing and recording positions. Moved with the carriage is an arm 29 overhanging the guide 15, which carries two key-type punches 30 and 3| for making apertures in the index slip to indicate lengths of separate items of dictation, place As is typical, the present machine is provided have either the transducer 33 or control 34 but not necessarily both; accordingly, in the-appended claim the term handpiece is to be construed as including the transducer and/or the control. The transducer 33'is preferably a small type of loudspeaker adapted to serve also as "a microphone whenever the machine 'is used .for recording dictation; however, since for the purposes of the present invention its prime function is that of a receiver, it is hereinafter so referred 'to. The mannerin which the control "34. starts and stops the machine need not be herein described since it maybe of any of the different forms'well known in the artand is not important v to the invention.

In addition to the receiver 33, there is a second receiver or speaker 35 which is provided as a permanent part of the machine. In order that this speakermay utilize the upper cabinet section as a baflle, to enable good reproduction of the lower frequencies in-the audio spectrum, it is mounted on the, cabinet "section I! with the edge'of the conethereof sealedin relation to the wall of the cabinet. "Also the speaker is resiliently mounted so that the reproduced sound vibrations are not readily transmitted to the cabinet. For example,

ahead of the speaker there is a window in the front vertical wall'zla covered by an open'grille 36. This grille is'held in place by three screws 31 which pass through the cabinet wall and secured the rim of the cone of the speaker 35 also by 'a :suitable such adhesive. Thus the speaker is resiliently supported and sealed "to the cabinet. I

Although the cabinet section I! is normally a permanently-mounted one, it is removed as "whenever the machine is serviced, etc. In order to permit easy removal of this cabinet section I1, the electrical circuit to the speaker 35"has "a separable 1 plug and socket connector 40. The

plug of this connector comprises two pins 4| mounted on an insulating plate 42 which is in turn mounted on a bracket 43 having a base formed by the backing'plate 38 aforementioned.

Thesepins are connected by leads 44 'to the speaker 35. The socket of'this-connector' lll comprises an insulating block 45 provided with -a flanged base 46 which is'heldby screws-46a to thetopplate of the frame [0. The blockhas-two pin-receiving'apertures 41 into which project respectivespring contact fingers '48. These contact :fingers have connector lugs projecting from the "block into which are connected the leads 49.

In Figure 'the amplifier 24is shown as having a pair of audio output terminals50. "One of ,the leads .49 connects to "one of these terminals, 'andthe other'of 'these'leads connects to atermi- SWitCh' 52 4 l nal 5| of a single-pole double-throw selector switch 52 having a pole 53 and a second terminal 54. This switch is mounted on the side of the cabinet at the junction between the upper and lower cabinet sections [6 and I1, and is provided with a knob 55 for throwing the pole from one position to the next (Figure 1). This pole is connectedby' a lead 56 to the other outlet terminal '50. Thus in the position of the switch 52 shown in Figure 5, the speaker 35 is connected to the output of the amplifier.

A lead-5lvrunning from the lead 49 and comprised in the cable 32a connects to one terminal of thereceiver'33. The other terminal of this receiver is connected by a lead 58, also comprised in the cable 32a, to the pole 53 of the Thus when the selector switch is thrown from the position it occupies in Figure 5 the amplifier output is connected to the hand receiver.

Inseries withthe receiver 33 is an attenuator unit59 which may be simply a resistor. This resistor is provided as a means "for setting the 'acoustic output level of'the receiver 33 to a predetermined'value in relation to'that of thespea'ker 35. Preferably this attenuator unit is 'adjustable as indicated in Figure 5.

On'the cabinet section'll there is asupportifill for the 'handpiece'SZ. Thissupport comprises a bail 6| which straddles the speaker'35 and has a forwardly-extending fork62 :to receive the neck of the handle portion 0f the handpiece. The two legs of the bail extend through clearance openings :53 in the cabinet section Hand are pivoted at 64 within the cabinet to 'apertured ears 65turned'over. from the plate 38 (Figures2 and 3). Connected from a cross pin 63 on a depending arm 67 ofthe b'ailrand a bracket'58 on the :cabinetuis a tension spring 2:69 which urges the .bail upwardly into the "position defined by the abutment 'of' the arm 26! against the front vertical wall Zla of the cabinet. When the 'handpiece ais placed on'the support :60, the latter is moved downwardly against the action of the springlig ibythe'weight'of the handpiece into a position defined by @the "abutment of an upright arm 7 El'on the bailagainst the'front wall'2lia of the cabinet (Figure 2). This downward movement causes the machine to-be turnedolf as is herein znext explained.

In the cabinet att-he left'side of the speaker 35thereis a bracket H havingonearmlla secured by a screw "to an upstanding standard 13 of the frame H! and'having'a turned-over lug 14 held by a screw "15 .to the :front end of the standard. This bracket 17' "has an upright U- shaped member E laJembracin'g a stack 15 of in 'sulating plates. Inter-posed between the plates of this 'stack aretwo contact-springs "H and Na of a switch 18. These conta'ct'springs are placed side by side and have switch contacts at'thieir lower ends as shown in :Figure 4. .Insulatedly 'held'by the stack 16 I at the BIBS/I of the contact springs '51 and Tia "isa single :eontactmember '19f'o'f resilient material having 'itwo contacts urged normally against the respective :cOntacts -'of 'the' springs' l'! and l-la. iBetween the contact" springs 1 and fi la @there is -a plunger which passes through apertures providedin" the U -member :1 l a and through a :central aperture ,inthe contact memb'er :19. This:plunger:is-.urged forwardly by the abutmentof the contact :member' 13 against a depending slug -81" of the-plunger. This' lug BI 'is positioned within !the 'U-member H a an'dserves -by itszabutment: against the front leg 01 this member to retain the plunger in place.

The front end of the plunger 80 has a vertical face 82 which lies just back of the cross pin 66 carried by the support 60. When the handpiece is placed on the support, the pin is moved rearwardly against the plunger to open the circuit between the contact springs 11 and Tia. These contact springs are connected by a pair of leads 83 in a circuit of the motor 25 leading to a powersupply cable 84 for the machine (Figure 5-). Thus, when the handpiece is put on the support Gil-which is its normal resting position whenever the machine is not in usethe motor is at standstill to place the machine out of operation. Preferably the amplifier is left in a heated condition while the motor is shut ofi since it requires a few moments to heat up to operating condition and it is desirable that the machine be ready for immediate use. Therefore the amplifier is connected to the power-supply cable 84 by separate leads 85 as through an amplifier onoff switch 86.

It will be noted that the coupling of the support 60 to the plunger 80 is by mere abutment of one against the other and is therefore a separable one which permits the cabinet I! to be removed at any time without being first uncoupled from any parts which form the operative connections of the machine. Also the cabinet section may be remounted at will and when so remounted the coupling of the support to the on-oif switch is automatically eilected. To facilitate the positioning of the cross pin 66 ahead of the plunger as the cabinet section I! is mounted, the upper portion of the plunger is beveled at 81.

The embodiment of my invention hereinabove described is intended to be illustrative and not limitative since the same is subject to changes and modifications without departure from the scope of my invention, which I endeavor to express according to the following claim.

I claim:

In a phonographic machine comprising a frame, a cabinet enclosing said frame and having a removable section and a handpiece for said machine: the combination of an on-off control for said machine mounted on said frame, said control being biased into "on position, a hurlzontally-movable plunger for operating said control to oil position, said plunger being carried with said control and being urged outwardly with respect thereto, a support for said handpiece pivoted to said removable cabinet section and projecting therefrom, means biasing said support upwardly into a raised position but with a force less than the weight of said handpiece on the support, and an arm on said support having means thereon which when said removable section is in mounted position is held normally free of said plunger by said biasing means in a position for abutment against the end of said plunger, to move the plunger inwardly and cause said control to be moved to off position, as said handpiece is placed on said support.

GUSTAV F. BRAUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,783,723 King Dec. 2, 1930 1,812,896 Olley July '7, 1931 1,958,888 Cromartie May 15, 1934 2,081,622 Foster May 25, 1937 2,113,156 Langley et al Apr. 5, 1938 2,255,927 Huber et al Sept. 16, 1941 2,268,645 Dann Jan. 6, 1942 

